Buying a house is a big investment, and you want every detail to be perfect: close proximity to work, quiet neighborhood, open floor plan. You may get excited when you finally find a house with all of these qualitiesâbut groan when you spot signs of water damage during a walkthrough with the realtor. You feel like you've found the one home you want to spend your life in, so should a little water damage stop you from going through with the sale?
The short answer: maybe, maybe not. Buying a home with water damage can be a risk, and there are quite a few factors you should take into consideration when deciding whether or not to buy:
Repair Effort and Costs
Maybe the idea of a fixer-upper appeals to you, maybe you're looking forward to spending the first few weeks of life in your new home putting up drywall, patching leaks, and applying a fresh coat of paint. However, if you're less excited about buying a project, keep in mind that restoring the existing water damage can take some effort and money. Whether you have to fill foundation cracks or get rid of unsightly water stains, make sure you're prepared for the work and cost ahead of you. If you're a house repairs connoisseur, then by all means, buy the home! But, if you want to be able to sit back and enjoy your new home without any additional work, maybe you should look elsewhere on the market.
Health and Safety
You should have a professional assess the current water damage and determine whether or not it puts your family's health or safety at risk. Could you live in a new home with a leaky roof? Sure, as long as you place a bucket under the leak and are confident the roof won't collapse. This problem is relatively easy to repair. However, no matter your resources, money, and time, it's probably not a good idea to buy a home with existing mold unless it is guaranteed the current owners will remove it before you move in. Even then, you're rolling the dice, since it's not easy to completely eradicate mold and some lingering mold spores could make you and your family sick.
Future Water Damage Potential
If a home has existing water damage, odds are it's susceptible to more water damage in the future. Check with your realtor and see if the current owners have fixed, or are willing to fix, the issues causing the water damageâlike basement wall cracks and clogged gutters. If they haven't, your home is still at risk of more water damage in the future. This can easily be fixed with professional waterproofing services, and if you buy without getting waterproofing, you might wind up with a flood in your new home the next time it storms.
Ultimately, the decision to buy or pass is up to you. Whether or not the home you end up with has existing water damage, make sure your home is effectively waterproofed to prevent water damage disasters in the future! NV Waterproofing is proud to serve the Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland region with expert waterproofing services. Trust us to provide long-lasting home waterproofing, so you can just enjoy living in your new home. Contact us today for a free estimate!
